Page:The shoemaker's apron (1920).djvu/211

 where he was unknown. Here he came to a fine castle at the window of which stood the lady of the castle looking out.

“Now then, my lady,” the laborer said to himself, “we’ll see how gullible you are.”

He stood in the middle of the road, looked intently up at the sky, and then reaching out his arms as if he were trying to catch hold of something he began jumping up and down.

The lady of the castle watched him for a few moments and then dispatched one of her servants to ask him what he was doing. The servant hurried out and questioned him and this is the story the clever rascal made up:

“I’m trying to jump back into heaven. You see I live up there. I was wrestling up there with one of my comrades and he pitched me out and now I can’t find the hole I fell through.”

With his eyes popping out of his head, the servant hurried back to his mistress and repeated the laborer’s story word for word.

The lady of the castle instantly sent for the laborer.

“You say you were in heaven?” she asked him.

“Yes, my lady, that’s where I live and I’m going back at once.”